Helen Browning | |
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Born | November 1961 (age 62) [1] Swindon, England, UK |
Alma mater | Harper Adams Agricultural College [1] |
Occupation | Organic farmer |
Helen Browning OBE, DL is an organic livestock and arable farmer in Wiltshire, England, and chief executive of the Soil Association.
In 1986, Browning took on her father's 1,350-acre (550-hectare) farm near Bishopstone, Swindon, which is rented from the Church of England, [1] and turned it into an organic farm. She founded Eastbrook Farm Organic Meats and the Helen Browning Organic brand.
She has held a number of public appointments including the 'Curry Commission' on the Future of Farming and Food, [2] the Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission and the Meat and Livestock Commission.
She was Director of External Affairs at the National Trust and has been chair of the Food Ethics Council since 2002.
She was a trustee of the Soil Association between 1993 and 2003, chair from 1997 to 2002, and was appointed its chief executive in October 2010. [3]
She was appointed an OBE in 1998 for her services to organic farming, [3] and a Deputy Lieutenant of Wiltshire in 2015. [4]
Organic farming, also known as ecological farming or biological farming, is an agricultural system that uses fertilizers of organic origin such as compost manure, green manure, and bone meal and places emphasis on techniques such as crop rotation and companion planting. It originated early in the 20th century in reaction to rapidly changing farming practices. Certified organic agriculture accounts for 70 million hectares globally, with over half of that total in Australia. Organic farming continues to be developed by various organizations today. Biological pest control, mixed cropping, and the fostering of insect predators are encouraged. Organic standards are designed to allow the use of naturally-occurring substances while prohibiting or strictly limiting synthetic substances. For instance, naturally-occurring pesticides such as pyrethrin are permitted, while synthetic fertilizers and pesticides are generally prohibited. Synthetic substances that are allowed include, for example, copper sulfate, elemental sulfur, and ivermectin. Genetically modified organisms, nanomaterials, human sewage sludge, plant growth regulators, hormones, and antibiotic use in livestock husbandry are prohibited. Organic farming advocates claim advantages in sustainability, openness, self-sufficiency, autonomy and independence, health, food security, and food safety.
The organic movement broadly refers to the organizations and individuals involved worldwide in the promotion of organic food and other organic products. It started during the first half of the 20th century, when modern large-scale agricultural practices began to appear.
The Soil Association is a British registered charity, working to transform the way Britain eats, farms and cares for the natural world. It was established in 1946. Their activities include campaigning for local purchasing, public education on nutrition and certification of organic foods, and against intensive farming.
Lady Evelyn Barbara Balfour, was a British farmer, educator, organic farming pioneer, and a founding figure in the organic movement. She was one of the first women to study agriculture at an English university, graduating from the institution now known as the University of Reading.
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Organic food, ecological food, or biological food are foods and drinks produced by methods complying with the standards of organic farming. Standards vary worldwide, but organic farming features practices that cycle resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. Organizations regulating organic products may restrict the use of certain pesticides and fertilizers in the farming methods used to produce such products. Organic foods are typically not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or synthetic food additives.
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Animal-free agriculture, also known as veganic agriculture, stockfree farming or veganic farming, consists of farming methods that do not use animals or animal products.
The environmental impact of agriculture is the effect that different farming practices have on the ecosystems around them, and how those effects can be traced back to those practices. The environmental impact of agriculture varies widely based on practices employed by farmers and by the scale of practice. Farming communities that try to reduce environmental impacts through modifying their practices will adopt sustainable agriculture practices. The negative impact of agriculture is an old issue that remains a concern even as experts design innovative means to reduce destruction and enhance eco-efficiency. Though some pastoralism is environmentally positive, modern animal agriculture practices tend to be more environmentally destructive than agricultural practices focused on fruits, vegetables and other biomass. The emissions of ammonia from cattle waste continue to raise concerns over environmental pollution.
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Pam Alexander OBE was a British businesswoman and senior civil servant specialising in housing and economic regeneration in England. She chaired Heritage Alliance and Commonplace, a digital community engagement company; and was a non-executive director of the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) and of the Connected Places Catapult. Earlier, she was chair of the Covent Garden Market Authority, and a trustee of the Design Council. She was Chief Executive of the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) from 2004 to 2011, and of the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England from 1997 to 2001. She was made OBE in 2012 for her services to urban regeneration in the South East.
Minette Bridget Batters is a British farmer who is the President of the National Farmers' Union of England and Wales.
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